THE HEART OF EVERY LIGHTING SYSTEM IS DIMMING AND CONTROL. IF THE LIGHTS NEED TO DIM UP AND DOWN AT ALL, YOU WILL NEED TO USE A DIMMING AND CONTROL SYSTEM.

THE BRANDS THAT WE STOCK IN OUR RENTAL INVENTORY ARE SELECTED FOR SEVERAL REASONS: RELIABILITY, EASE OF SERVICE AND REPAIR, AND TECHNOLOGICAL CAPABILITIES.

THERE ARE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF SOPHISTICATION DESIGNED INTO THE VARIOUS BRANDS AND MODELS OF DIMMERS AND CONTROLLERS. WE STOCK EVERYTHING FROM THE SIMPLEST TO THE MOST COMPLEX TO MEET EVERYONE’S INDIVIDUAL NEEDS.

DIMMERS

Dimmers are packaged by size: small numbers of dimmers and/or low wattage dimmers are grouped in “Packs,” while larger quantities of dimmers capable of higher wattages are called “Racks.” Our packs can usually be plugged right into a common wall outlet as long as there are no other demands being made of that circuit (check the breaker panel). Racks must be connected to a power source with feeder cable, and usually include outlets for either stage pins or multi-cable.

WHAT SIZE DIMMER?

Dimmers are rated for capacity in Amps. An amp is an electrical unit of measure. There is a very simple formula for determining the amperage requirements for an individual dimmer:

• Amps x Volts = Watts. Simple algebra, remember AxB = C? If you know any two parts of the equation you can figure out the third part. Just substitute A for Amps, B for Volts and C for Watts.

• So if you have a 1,000 watt light, and using 110 Volts as a standard, divide 1,000 by 110, which will give you about 10 Amps. That is yourload requirement for your power to the circuit.

• We can help you figure out which dimmer Pack or Rack you need to rent. Just tell us how many lights you need, and whether they need to operate individually or as a group. We’ll do the math!

CONTROLLERS

What type of controller do you need? That depends on how experienced you are, and how many features you need. Controllers range in capabilities from simple up and down sliders for each light, to virtual 3- D capable, touring Mega–consoles. Of course, rental rates increase as controller capabilities increase.

MANUAL CONSOLES

We use Leprecon brand consoles for simple dimming control. They are highly durable and simple to operate. Features begin with up and down sliders and increase to “Preset” memory.

MEMORY CONSOLES

We use ETC Express memory consoles. The ETC console is one of the finest ever designed; it is very powerful and yet very easy to use. The ETC console allows for off console storage of your show’s light control via a 3.5 inch floppy drive.

TOURING CONSOLES

We stock a variety of highly sophisticated consoles and control systems for touring and other complex control needs, including: High End Whole Hog, Avolite Pearls and AC Lighting Grand MA’s and Grand MA Lites. These consoles require expertise to program and operate. The Grand MA’s are capable of 3-D virtual playback, and even capable of video media triggering and playback.

SOME COMMON TERMINOLOGY IN THE WORLD OF CONSOLES:

• CHANNEL:
  An individual control unit, usually in the form of a manual slider.

• GRAND MASTER:
  A slider that allows or disables all the subordinate channels to operate.

• BLACK OUT BUTTON:
  A button or switch that enables or cuts off the entire output of the console.

• SUB MASTER:
  A slider that can “snapshot” the levels of any combination of individual channel sliders. The stored levels can be brought up proportionately by raising the sub master level.

• GROUP:
  A group of channels. It does not have levels set; it is simply a way of capturing a predetermined group of channels, for assigning levels to the whole group.

• CUE:
  A cue is a “snapshot” of the entire console output. Cues are generally played back during a show in numeric order. Cues contain basic minimal information such as: cue number, fade up and fade down times, which Channels are affected and levelsettings for individual Channels or Groups.